Paper-cutting machine



E. P. DONNELL.

PAPER CUTTING MACHINE.

Patented May 29, 1888.

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E. P. DONNELL.

PAPER CUTTING MACHINE.

No. 388,714. Patented May 29, 1888.

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EDWARD P. DONNELIJ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PAPER-CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 383,714, dated May 29,1888.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD P. DONNELL,

of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful ImprovementsinPaperCuttingMachines; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

- The object of this invention is to provide an improved construction inpaper-cutting machines in several particulars, as will here inafterappear; and it consists in the matters hereinafter described, andpointed out in the claims.

The machine herein shown as illustrating my invention is provided with aknife or cutter of that class shown in the prior patent, No. 290,00l,granted to the me December 11, 1883, and which operates in connectionwith an opposing stationary knife, and is moved both i downwardly andlongitudinally, so as to carry its cutting-edge past the edge of thestationary knife.

The invention also comprises other novel and improved features ofconstruction in a paper-cutting ruachine, as will be hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention may be more fully understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, in Which Figurel is a front elevation of apaper-cue ting machine embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2isa side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical detail section on theline 3 3 of Fig. 1 Fig. 4 is a detail vertical section on the line 4 4of Fig. 5, looking toward the body of the machine. Fig. 5is a detailplan view mainly of the clutch mechanism and adjuncts at one end of themachine. Fig. 6 is a detail view showing in elevation the hub portion ofthe pulley-wheel, a clutch hub or collar fixed on a shaft alongside thepulleywheel, and a double cam, a portion of the clutch I) being brokenaway to more clearly show the parts. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detailsection on the line 7 Tot Fig.5. Fig. 8 is a detail section similar toFig. 7, but showing the dog or sliding clutch member in its forwardspective of the dog.

position. Fig. 9 is a detail section showing the dog engaged by the cam.Fig. 10 is a per- Fig. 11 is a detail plan of the shifting or movablesection of the table and part of the stationary portion thereof. Figs.12 and 13 are detail views of other forms of the said movable section ofthe table, as will be hereinafter described.

A represents the metal frame of the ma chine, which sustains ahorizontal bed or ta ble, B, upon which the paper to be out is placed.

C is an upper movable knife or cuttcr,which is secured in the usual wayto a knife or cutter-bar, D, arranged to work above the table; and E isa lower stationary cutter or bar by which the paper is supportedadjacent to the movable cutter, which is, as herein shown, so cured inthe bed or table, but which may be formed by a. part or edge of thetable itself. The said bar E is preferably located with its front edgeslightly back of the plane in which the cutting-edge of the upperknife,C, moves, so as to permit the said cutting-edge of the upper knifeto pass below the plane of the bed or table without coming in actualcontact with the edge of the said bar, which arrange ment serves toprevent wear on the part either of the cutter or bar.

E is a laterally-movable metal bar, which is let into a depression, 13,formed in the table adjacent to the stationary bar E, so that the saidmovable bar constitutes a movable por tion of the table in front of andadjacent to the said bar E. The said movable bar is held in positionadjacent to the stationary bar by means of springs E, located, as shown,be tween the rear edge of the said movable bar and the adjacent wall ofthe recess, which is made of sufficient width to allow a necessarybackward movement or yielding of the bar to allow the knife to passbetween the said mov able bar E and the stationary bar E.

The space between the bar E, and the adjacent part of the table and thesprings E is shown covered by the plate E", set flush in the table atthe forward side of the transverse depression, and arranged to extendback overa portion of the bar, said bar being made sufficiently thin atits front portion to enter beneath the covering-plate E the uppersurface of which is located in the same plane with the higher rear edgeportion of the bar E.

Thebar E is held from actual contact with the stationary bar E, andpreferably slightly forward from the path of the cuttingedge of themovable knife, by suitable stops, shown in the drawings in the form ofpins e,-fixed in the depressed part B of the table, and engaged withshort transverse slots 6' in the bar E. The said bar, which is adaptedto yield backwardly, as described, may be moved away from the stationarybar in the descent of the movable knife by the action upon the innerface or other part of said bar of the inclined or beveled forwardsurface of the said movable knife or of other inclined surface upon theknife or knife-bar. When the said bar E is thrown forward by an inclinedsurface other than that of the beveled part of theknife itself, the saidbar may obviously be allowed to come in contact with the stationary barE and the stops 6 maybe dispensed with, inasmuch as the inclined partsin such case may be arranged to throw the said bar outwardly before theedge of the knife reaches the said bar E. In case, however, the said barE is moved outwardly by the action of the beveled face of the knifeitself upon the inner edge of the bar, it is obviously essential that aspace should be left between the stationary bar E and the adjacent edgeof the bar E, into which the cutting-edge of the movable knife may enterwithout contact with the said bar.

In the construction of the parts shown in Fig. 3 the said bar E issolocated, formed, or held by the stops 6 that when it is held by thesprings E at the farthest limit of its movement toward the stationarybar E the narrow space between the bar and the stationary bar E is widerat one end than at the other.

To permit the movement of the bar E above described, the said bar is ofcourse adapted to move independently at its ends; or, in other words,any guides or other means for causing a parallel movement in said barare dispensed with, so that one of its ends may yield outwardly, asabove described, without moving the said bar away from the stationarybar E at its opposite end.

The form of the bar E, above referred to,and illustrated in:Fig.11,hasthe disadvantage that it will, by the action of theinclined surface ofthe knife at one end of said bar E, be moved away from the stationarybarEto some extent throughout its entire length, with the exception ofits extreme end remote from that which is acted upon by the movablecutter. Another as entirely independent of each other and as havingrounded ends, whereby they may be moved into an inclined positionwithout being shifted endwise by their contact with adjacent sections.

In Fig. 13 the parts or sections E are shown as pivotally connected attheir ends,thus forming a flexible bar or table-section, the parts ofwhich will be thrust outwardly in the downward movement of the knife inthe same manner as the entirely independent parts shown in Fig. 12,withthe exceptionthat the end of each section toward which the knife edge isadvancing will in the construction shown in Fig. 13 be moved outwardslightly before it is reached by theknife by the outward movement of thesection already engaged by the knife.

In the formsof the device shown both in Figs. 12 and 13 the sections Ewill preferably be held slightly forward of the plane in which moves theedge of the movable cutter by means of suitable stops, which may besimilar to the stops e, (illustrated in Fig. 3,) as indicated in dottedlines in said Figs. 12 and 13.

In the use of a movable knife or cutter which is considerably inclinedit is obvious that when a single or rigid movable table-section or bar,E, is employed the end thereof engaged by the advance part of themovable knife, will be moved outward aconsiderable distance at the timethat the knife is brought down sufficiently to cut at the middle part ofthe table-as, for instance, if by the action of the inclined surface atone end of the knife the end of the said bar or table-section is movedoutwardly half an inch when the knife has descended sufficiently tobring its cutting-edge half above and half below the level of the top ofthe table, the bar at its middle portion, or that at which the knife isoperating, will at such time be one-fourth of an inch from theknife-edge. By making the said movable bar or table-section flexible, orin parts, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, however, the several sections Ewill be moved outwardlyonly as they are reached by the knife, and to avery slight extent only in advance of the point at which the knife iscutting. This operation is illustrated in Fig. 12, in which is shown adotted line, c 6 representing the line of intersection between the planeof the table and theoblique' or beveled surface ofv the movable knife,the sections E being shown with their edges upon the said line, thisbeing the position which they will take when partially thrust outward Iby'their contact with the said inclined or beveledsurface of the movableknife.

The knife 0 is arranged and operated with end thereof, for reasons whichwill hereinafter appear.

An important advantage obtained by the use of an inclined knife havingan oblique movement is that the'lower sheets of the pile of paperresting upon the table may be more cleanly and readily cut, for thereason that the knife, instead of pressing directly downward, andthereby tending to bend or fold the paper downwardly between the knifeand the bar E, will cut the sheets transversely, beginning at one edge,so that the pressure thereon is sidewise, or upon the edge being cut, aswell as downwardly; and the knife being moved edgewise as well asdownwardly, aclean and smooth out will always result.

By the use of a knife constructed and oper* ating as described, also,lam enabled to set the stationary knife with its cutting-edge laterallyseparated from the bar E, or in such manner that the knife will movepast the said bar with out actual contact with the latter, as beforementioned. This construction is rendered possible in the use of anobliquely-moving inclined knife, for the reason that the said knife hasrelatively little tendency to depress the edges of the lower sheets ofthe pile in cutting, for reasons before set forth. By separating theknife from the bar E, as described, the important advantage is obtainedof avoiding liability of dnlling the knife, and the consequent necessityfor frequent sharpening of the same, which is liable to occur when theknife and the said bar are in contact.

An important advantage is obviously gained by the employment of themovable table section or bar E when the knife C is slightly separatedfrom the bar E and the said knife is inclined and obliquely moved, asdescribed,

for the reason that said movable bar E, to-

gether with the bar E; affords a support for the paper at both sides ofthe knife, so that the lower sheets may be more readily and cleanly cutand the paper heldfrom lateral movement under the action of the knifewith little or no assistance from a clamp, as hereinbefore fully setforth.

The inclination of the knife 0 with reference to the table may beobtained either by attaching the said knife 0 at an angle with the barD, by which it is supported, or by supporting the said bar in aninclined position. The inclination of the knife 0 also may be adjustedeither by moving it upon the bar D or by ad justing the said bar bodily.As herein shown, the knife is set at an angle with the bar D, and thelatter is adjustably supported at its ends, whereby the angle of theknife may be readily adjusted without shifting it upon the bar.

chine-frame by means'of two connecting-rods,

G, adj ustably united at one or both ends with socket-pieces, G, whichare in turn connected by ball-and-sockct joints G or other suitableforms of universal joints, with the forward ends of the oscillatorylevers H and the ends of the knifebar.

The connecting-rods, as a simple and desirable construction, are, asherein shown, pro,- vided with oppositely-inclined screw-threads attheir ends, which are engaged with the in t'eriorlythreaded socketpieces, so that by turning either or both of the rods the ends of theknife-bar can be raised and lowered as desired. The ball-and-socket orother universaljoints permit the arms or pitmcn G to swing freely, so asto accommodate themselves to the end motions of the knife-bar during therise and descent of the latter. The oscillatory levers H are pivoted atthe sides of the machine, as at H, and receive their oscillatory motionfrom large gear-wheels, H arranged at the sides of the machine, andprovided with suitable studs extending into the grooves in the rear endportions of the oscillatory levers, as illustrated in dotted lines inFig. 2. The gear-wheels are mounted on a horizontal shaft, h, extendingtransversely through the rear portion of the main frame, and areseparately engaged by pinions I, fixed upon a horizontal shaft, 1, whichis provided with a pulley, I, over which the driving-belt forcommunicating power to the machine is placed. Aelutch mechanism isherein shown for connecting the said pulley with the shaft, whichembodies features of improvement, and which will be hereinafterdescribed.

As an improved construction in the bed or table B, the latter, asclearly shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 11, is made in two parts, B and B andis provided with a slot or opening formed along the line of juncturebetween the parts B and B and beneath the edge of the bar E. The partsof the table are preferably united by means of depending lugs b b uponthe parts B and B, respectively, through which lugs are insertedsuitable bolts, If, for holding the parts together.

, By making the table in two parts,as shown, the obvious advantage isobtained that the recesses therein for the stationary bar E and the barE and the sides of the slot 1) may be readily and accurately planed outand finished. In the particular construction of the parts illustrated inthe drawings the rear edge of the bar Eand the rear wall of the recessin the table for said bar E are inclined relatively to the front edge ofthe bar E, and the latter is made longitudinally movable and provided atits smaller end with a stem, 6", extending through the side frame of themachine, and provided with a nut upon its exterior end, whereby the saidbar E may be moved longitudinall y and its front edge thereby adjustedlaterally with reference to the movable knife, as desired. y

The clutch devices above referred to for con necting the pulley 1with'and disconnecting 7 it from the shaft I, upon which said pulley isconstructed to run'loosely, are as follows: A collar or sleeve, L, isfixed upon the shaft 1 adjacent to the pulley I, and is provided with arecess or notch, L, in its end nearest the pulley, said notch preferablybeing arranged to extend about halfway around the shaft. Ahorizontallysliding dog, N, upon the pulleyhub is adapted to engage thesaid notch when thrown outwardly, said dog being actuated by a spring,N, which tends to hold the dog in position for engagement with the notchL.

M is a sliding spring-latch, which is, as herein shown, located radiallyupon the hub and thrown inwardly toward the dog N by means of a spring,M, and is provided at its end adjacent to the dog with a projection, m,adapted to engage a notch, 01, in one side of the said dog, whereby thesaid latch is adapted to automatically lock and hold the latter in itsretracted position and free from the collar L. The said dog is moved, inorder to relieve it from the notch L, by means of a movable cam plate orblock, 0, which is provided with a transversely-inclined cam-face, 0,adapted to engage the end of the dog in the rotary movemeut of thepulley, and operating to throw the dog backwardly, so as to free it fromthe notch L. The said cam-plate is also provided with an inclined or camface, 0', constructed to engage a projectiomm, upon the latch M, so asto move the said latch against its spring and to free the dog when thelatter is held in its retracted position by the engagement of theprojection m of the latch with the notch 01 of the dog. The dog Nis, asherein shown, Fig. 10, provided at its outer end with a diagonalshoulder, n, for engagement with the incline o of the cam-plate; butsaid shoulder is obvionsly not essential.

The cam-plate O is carried upon the end of a sliding rod, P, which isarranged radially with reference to the shaft I,and which is connectedwith and actuated by a hand-lever, P, adapted to move the rodlongitudinally, and to thereby bring the cam-plate nearer to or fartherfrom the axis of the shaft.

The surface n of the dog N and the projection m of the latch M are' soarranged with reference to theinclined or cam faces of the camplate 0that the dog is moved inwardly when the said canrplate is at the upperor inner limit of its movement, and the latch will be moved so as torelease the dog when the cam plate is moved outwardly, the parts beingso constructed that when the incline 0 of the camplate is in position toengage thedog the projection m will pass the plate without touching it,and when the plate is moved outwardly to engage the said latch the dogwill move freely past the plate. When the dog is retracted and thepulley is running loose upon the shaft, the machine is started,therefore, by an outward or downwardmovement of the cam-plate to bringthe inclined surface 0 thereof into the path of the projection m,whereby'the dog will be disengaged and will be thrown outwardly intoengagement with the notch L. In order to stop the machine, a reversemovement of the cam-plate will obviously cause the engagement of theincline 0 thereon with the dog, whereby the latter will be thrown out ofthe notch L and the pulley disengaged from the shaft.

The slide-rod P, which carries the cam-plate, is supported by arms 12,secured to one side of the frame of the machine and provided withsuitable bearings for said rod.

The lever P is pivoted at p to the frame, and has its handle endextended out at the front of the machine, so that it can be convenientlygrasped by the person operating the machine. g

In order to provide a means for operating the clutch so as to stop themachine automaticall y after each descent and ascent of the knife. aswell as for stopping the machine by hand at any moment desired, thelever P is provided with a depending arm, P located with its lower endover one of the oscillatory levers H and in such position that it willbe encountered by the said leverin the upward movement thereof, theparts being so arranged that when the said lever reaches the upper limitof its movement and is in position to sustain the knife-bar at thehighest point the lever P will have been raised by the oscillatory leverso as to bring the cam-plate into the path of the dog, and thereby causethe disengagement of the latter from the collar L and a consequentstoppage of the machine.

The arm P is preferably pivoted at its upper end to the inner end or armof the lever P, and is connected by a rod, P with a thumb or latchlever,P,which is pivoted to the lever P at the handle end thereof, sothat either or both of said levers can be conveniently grasped andcontrolled by the operator. The object of this latter construction is toenable the lower end of the arm P to be lifted, and to thereby preventthe operation of the lever H upon said arm when it is desired to run themachine con- 'tinually without stopping at the end of each reciprocatingmovement of the knife.

The machine is started by raising the outer arm of the lever P, so as todepress the inner arm thereof, and thereby bring the cam-face o of theblock in the path of the stud .or projection'm on the latch, and themachine will continue to run until the cutter has descended and is againlifted, when the lever will be moved by the action of the lever H uponthe arm P and the machine stopped. If the lever is depressed, also,after it has been raised to start the machine, the clutch will in thesame manner become disengaged at the end of the next upward movement ofthe cutter. By grasping the thumb-lever P however, and drawing it towardthe handle of the lever P, the arm P will be raised to free it from the,forward end of the oscillatory lever H, whereby the operation of themachine may he made continuous as long as may be desired.

The shaft I, upon which the belt-pulley is mounted, is preferablyprovided, at a point exterior to the latter, with a hand-wheel, Q, rigidwith the shaft. The purpose of this hand-wheel is to enable the shaft tobe turned for the purpose of moving the cutter by hand. Said Wheel isalso useful to enable the collar L to be turned so as to bring the notchL oppositethe cam-plate o, in order to allow the dog to enter said notchwhen released by the cam-plate. \Vhen the collar is turned so as tobring its part which is opposite the recess L adjacent to the canrplate,the dog will obviously be held from movement when the latch isdisengaged from the cam-plate, so that by turning the shaft so as tobring the collar into the position last mentioned the clutch will beprevented from operating, and a safety device is thus provided toprevent an accidental starting of the machine, as might occur by thelever 1? being unintentionally moved.

The sleeve L is herein shown as provided with a collar or flange, L incontact with which the edge of the cam-plateOis arranged to run, saidflange serving as an abutment to prevent lateral movement of the saidcam plate in the action of the dog N upon the incline 0 of thecam-plate, wherebylateral strain I upon the rod 1? and the consequentfrictional resistance to the movement of the rod in its bearings andwear in the parts are prevented.

The machine shown has a clamp, It, operated from a spindle, S, having atone end a hand'wlieel, S, and at the other a worm, S Fig. 2, engaging agear, 1%, on a shaft, which may be provided with pinions engagingsliding racks attached to and supporting the clamp.

This clamping device is of a form well known,

and need not be more particularly described.

A suitable paper gage, T, is herein shown, said gage being operated bymeans of a handwheel, T, and a sprocket-chain, T, in a wellknown manner.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a paper-cutting machine, the combination,with a movable cutter, of a bed or table, alaterally-movable bar, E,located in front of the cutter and supported and constructed to slideupon the said table, and a spring ap plied to throw the said movablesection of the table toward the cutter, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. In a paper-cutting machine, the combination, with a movable knife orcutter and a table provided with an opposing stationary part or edge, ofa laterally-movable bar, E, a spring applied to throw the said bar Etoward the stationary part of the table, and stops adapted to hold thesaid movable part or bar from contact with the stationary part of thetable, substantially as described.

3. In a paper-cutting machine, the combi nation, with a movable knife orcutter, of a table comprising a laterally yielding part or bar, E, madein several separately-movable parts or sections, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a paper-cutting machine, the combination, with a movable cutter,of a table made in two stationaryparts, B and B", separated to form aslot, b, at theline ofjunction between the parts of the table, andprovided with lugs b b bolted together, for uniting the parts,substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the oscillating ledriving-shaft of the machine,and comprising a dog, N, and a latch, M, of a cam-plate, 0, adapted tooperate said dog and latch, a sliding rod, 1?, supporting saidcam-plate, a handlever, 1 pivoted upon the machine-frame and connectedwith the said rod, an arm, P, pivoted upon the said lever, with its freeend in the path of the oscillating lever H, alatch, P", pivoted uponthelever 1 adjacent to its handle, and a rod, I, connecting said arm Pand latch P substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the driving-shaft I andthe pulley I", and aclutch device for connecting said pulley and shaft, embracing a collaror sleeve, L, upon the shaft, provided with a notch or recess, L, anda'movable dog, N, upon the pulley, constructed to engage said recess L,and a cam-plate, O, for actuating said dog, of a hand-wheel,Q, upon thedriving-shaft, whereby the latter may be turned into position to preventthe engagement of the dog with the recess when said dog is released bythe action of the cam-plate, substantially as described.

In testimonythaticlaim the foregoingas my invention I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

EDlVARD P. DONNELL.

Witnesses:

O. CLARENCE POOLE, OLIVER E. PAGIN.

